Yin and Yang
by xblissfuloblivion
Summary: Abby talks some sense into Neela about her relationship with Ray. Extended, yet again and again, now a four parter. Set somewhere in season 12. [RayNeela] [AbbyNeela friendship].
1. Yin & Yang: Pt 1

**Title:** Yin and Yang

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, if I did, do you seriously think ER would have premiered last week without Shane West in it?!

**Timeline: **Hmm...It's kind of odd...this is set **after** 12x16 _'Out on a Limb'_ with the famous 'Anything for my roomie' scene but **before** 12x09 _'I do'_ when Neela and Gallant get married.

**A/N:** Really, really random idea that just popped into my head. Neela's POV. Written in about 2 hours, and unbetaed. Still, hope you like. An attempt at a more lighthearted, fluffy piece to those I've recently been writing. Sorry if either Neela or Abby seem a little OOC...

**Edit:** Changing it into a two parter! Scratch that! Three parter! Haha!

**2nd Edit:** I was told that it's not spelt _'Ying and Yang'_ it's _'Yin and Yang'_ so I went through and got rid of all the mis - spellings. I think:)

**Enjoy! (:**

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**Yin and Yang**

_Pt 1 : Yin and Yang_

---**X**---

"Yin and Yang." Abby states, as you walk into the break room for that cup of coffee you've been dying for all day.

You glance around; nobody else is in there, so she's obviously talking to you. You just don't know what she's on about.

"What?!" you ask, pouring yourself the last dregs of the coffee, wincing at the taste before spitting it back into your cup.

"You -" Abby stops, with a frown, "_Hey_, I made that, ten hours ago, but still! Mind you, some common decency would be appreciated!" she exclaims.

You grin, beginning to prepare a fresh pot. "Sorry, but it's _really_ terrible."

She glares at you not speaking until you settle with two fresh cups at the table, in the seat opposite her.

You lift the second cup up in her direction, "Peace offering." you tell her with a smile.

She cracks a smile, taking a sip, feigning to wince, "Ugh! Like this is any better!" she mocks.

"Ha – ha," you say, dryly, "If it's _that_ bad I can always drain it out." You retort, pretending to attempt to take the cup out of her grasp.

She pulls back. "Nah, it's alright, besides if you chuck it out, I'll be left with Morris's piss masquerading as coffee." she replies.

You laugh. "Good answer," taking a sip of your coffee, "So, what were you on about before with the whole _'Yin and Yang'_ thing?" you ask, curiously.

"Oh, right," Abby begins, "Y'know the other day how I was going on about you and Ray and the whole 'roommates with benefits' thing?" she asks.

You groan. "How can I forget," you tell her, sarcastically, "How many times do I have to tell Ray and I have not slept together!"

"Yet." she adds, with a smirk. You begin to defend yourself, but she gives you a look, silencing you to let her finish. "Anyway, like I was saying, remember how you asked me why I thought that and I didn't have anything? Well, that's my answer. Yin and Yang." She finishes.

You raise an eyebrow. "Yin and Yang?! We had this conversation _four _days ago and _Yin and Yang_ is the best you can come up with?!"

She sighs. "I know! I know it sound stupid and corny and -"

"And cliché and idiotic." you add, annoyed.

"Okay!" Abby exclaims, "I get it! I get it! It's conventional! And now normally I'm not one to opt for that _but_ with you and Ray, I dunno...it' strange but it _fits_." She looks at you, "You get what I'm saying?"

"No, I do _not_ get what you're saying, Abby! Me and Ray?! We're as far from Yin and Yang as --- as ---" Damn it. You're stumped.

Abby looks at you, derisively. "As what, Neela? Please, enlighten me! Because as far and I'm _and nearly everybody else is concerned_ you and Ray are the classic _walking_ dictionary meaning of Yin and Yang. You know you balance each other out..."

"Oh, really?!"

"Uh, huh!"

"I don't know, Abby! Just a little reminder, you remember my _boyfriend_ Michael? Tall, dark hair, nice smile ---" you begin, sarcastically.

"Oh, yeah, I remember him. I dunno, I just didn't classify him as your boyfriend you know as he's half way across the world and altogether with the two of you actually _seeing _each other it hardly been even a week!" she snaps back.

By now you're shooting her daggers. "You know what?" you say.

"What?"

"Being pregnant is making you crazy."

"Really? I actually think it helping me think more rationally." She retorts.

You make a move to stand up. "Argh! I'm out of here! I can't be bothered to keep having this meaningless conversation with you."

"Okay, fine! But do one thing for me?" she says.

"What?!" you snap.

"Look me in the eye and tell me that there's not been, not even _one_ moment with Ray that you've felt something?" she asks.

Oh, crap. You're definitely not going to come out of this one with flying colours.

You avert you eyes trying to look enwrapped with one of the flyers on the notice board.

"Neela?" Abby says.

"Hmm?" you say, pretending to glance up, puzzled, "Oh yeah, of course not." you tell her. Hoping she'd drop the topic.

"Neela?" she rebukes. "Look me in the eye and say that."

You sigh, defeated. It's over.

"There's not been just one, Abby. There's been _several_!" you groan, collapsing back into your seat. "Take yesterday for instance. You know how I was angry at him for making that date with that Andy or Ashley or whatever her name was girl. When I get home she's cancelled and I'm pissed because of my disastrous army spouse club meeting and Ray's there watching the _'game'_," you tell her, with quotation marks.

She raises an eyebrow.

"Never mind. He'd kill me if I told you."

She nods, with a knowing smile. "Then what happened?"

You stop, thinking, finally you speak, "Nothing. Nothing happened. He just listened to me rant on, and mind you, he _actually_ listened! And then, he surprises me by telling me he's recorded World Poker Tour for me and then..." you stop again, 'Oh, God!' you realize, "Abby's _really _right!"

"And then what, Neela?" Abby prods, curiously.

"And then, I thanked him and he said something..."

"What?!" Abby demanded. "Just tell me, Neela! Number one rule! _Do not_ mess with a pregnant woman!"

"Sorry! He said...'Anything for my roomie' and just the way he said it, it made like a fuzzy, tingly feeling go through me...Oh, no..." you gasp.

"Aha! There ya go! You, missy, just admitted that you like Ray Barnett."

"Abby!" you stress, "It's not that easy, Ray's like my best friend, no offense," you add.

"None taken."

"And he's cocky and arrogant and ---" you pause, why are weighing down all the bad aspects here?

"And?" Abby asks, bemused.

"...And he's always there for me and he's sweet and he has those moments when he's just a downright gentleman and he's ---" you stop, trying to find the right word.

"Perfect?" Abby supplies.

"I never thought I'd admit this but yes but please don't tell him I told you that. I'd never, ever hear the end of it!" you say.

"I won't..." she pauses, "_O__nly_ if you tell him everything else you just told me." She replies.

"Is that a threat?" you ask.

She stares at you, with one of those unreadable Abby Lockhart looks on her face.

"Only if you want it to be."

"So, what do I do now?" you say.

She grins.

"Go and find that lucky Yang, of course!"

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So? What did you think? 

Please Review! (:


	2. Yin & Yang: Pt 2

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**A/N:** And so, the extreme cheese, OOC fest continues and just to show how mean I am, I'm extending it into a three part story, so you all are going to have to bear with me for longer cause this ain't finished. : ) Lol! And I have no idea when it's going to be as I haven't started writing the next one as yet! Sorry.: P Nods head I know, I'm evil, I just can't help it! On another note, I'm not too happy about how this chapter turned out but...oh, well, you win some, you lose some! ; ) Thanks anyway for all the reviews!

**Enjoy!**

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**Yin and Yang**

_Pt 2: Like (love?)_

---**X**---

Your eyes nervously scan the ER, trying to catch at least a brief glimpse of Ray. _"Go and find that lucky Yang, of course!"_Abby's words echo in your ears. When she'd first spoken them you'd left on a high, but now that the adrenaline of the situation had drained, you were faced with the reality about what you were really about to do.

You were going to tell Ray that you liked (loved?) him. That you wanted to be with him. That you were going to dump Michael, sweet, non – spontaneous, _safe_ Michael to be with him, Ray. Cool, cocky, spontaneous, dangerous Ray.

Oh – My – God!

You begin to freak.

What were you thinking? You berate yourself. _Not much obviously_. What are you supposed to do? What are you supposed to _say_? 'Hey, Ray. I know I've got a boyfriend and you're my best friend and all. And I sometimes give you the impression that I'm always pissed off at you. I just wanted to tell you that I like (love?) you. So you wanna go out sometime?'. Pfft. You saw that playing out _really well_. Right now your two possible reactions of his either involved him laughing in your face or turning you down. Great!

You see Ray heading in your direction. You watch him coming towards you almost in slow – motion and your heart also seems to be pounding at the same rate. Maybe he won't notice you, maybe he'll just walk by you, maybe --- He stops. _Directly in front of you_. Crap, crap, crap!

"Hey, roomie." he grins.

"Rayyy..." you breathe. Rather _heavily_. Oh, shit!

He gives you a funny look. "Neela? Are you okay?"

You gulp. "Just peachy." You let out an exaggerated breath, pretending to fan yourself. "_Phew!_ Is it me or is it really, really hot in here?"

He smirks. "Nah, everybody's feeling it. Didn't you forget? It's a proven scientific fact that when I enter a room the heat in it multiplies."

You let out a high pitched laugh. _If only_ he knew. "Well, I better get going, y'know, work and all..." your voice trails.

He nods. Still looking at you oddly. "Okayy...Your shift ends at seven, right? This is my last chart, and by the looks of it, it's just flu symptoms, so it shouldn't take more than 20 minutes, so how 'bout you wait for me and we'll take the El home together?" he finishes, looking at you, expectantly.

What are you supposed to do? Tell him no? You can't do that, you don't have the heart to and besides anyway, Abby would kill you.

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay." he grins, giving you a wink before walking off. You let out a breath. You briefly check your watch; it reads 6:40. Exactly 20 minutes till seven. About 20 minutes before Ray finishes his shift and you possibly make a complete and utter fool of yourself. Oh god! Where's Abby when you need her? And just like that, like she has some sort of physic, telepathic function in her already highly altered brain she appears by your side.

"Hey, so how'd it go?" she asks. You jump about a mile.

"Abby! How did you get here?" you gasp. She quizzically raises an eyebrow.

"Umm, if I remember correctly I walked out of Exam two and made the most _excruciating_ decision of either getting another chart or_...getting another chart_, y'know since it's my job and all, so then I made the hard choice of choosing; _getting another chart_, and seeing that you're standing right by all of them, I guess _that's_ what brings me here." she tells you, sarcastically.

At this moment you're not even bothered to retort something smart back; instead you opt for wailing, "What am I supposed to do?"

"Huh?" is her simple reply.

You groan. "Well, I took your advice and I told Ray that I'd _take the El home with him_."

Abby nods her head, in a humorous manner, "Oh, wow, that's really _daring_ Neela, considering you do exactly that at the end of nearly all your shifts...But I know, maybe you can be even more _adventurous_ today and..." she pauses dramatically, "_decide to go up to his apartment with him_," she stops, and with a dramatic click of her fingers mocks; "Oh, but snap! You can't do that either since you _already_ live with him."

You slap her lightly on the arm.

"Don't mock me!" you exclaim, annoyed, "this is very hard for me, I'm on uncharted grounds right now, there are a hundred ways this could turn out. He could ---"

"Say yes or say no." Abby puts in, "and if I remember my kindergarten maths correctly that's two, I can't really think of another 98. Can you?" she asks, in a senile tone of voice.

And for the second time that night she's stumped you. "No." you say softly. "But! But what if he doesn't feel the same way? Then it's going to be all awkward between us and we probably won't be able to be friends and I'll ---" you ramble.

"Neela!"

"What?"

"Remember our whole talk? Amongst everything else we talked about, you said he recorded Poker Tour for you, okay, I've known Ray for what? About two years, and I know for a fact that he wouldn't just do that and _remember that _for anyone." Abby tells you, seriously.

"Yeah, but that could be because we're just close...best friend close, you know and he could of been feeling bad and wanted to ---"

"Make it up to you." Abby finishes. "Now I ask you, with the exception of patients, since when does Ray _ever_ feel bad about something he did?"

"...I dunno, Abby, I still think I shouldn't do this, I mean...what about Michael?"

Abby lets out an aggravated sigh.

"Are we going to repeat everything we've already been through? Michael's a big boy, I'm _certain_ that he'll be able to handle it and I'm sure he knows that the two of you aren't destined to be together and all that crap! Just do it. We've got a ticking clock. Ray's shift is about to be over and if Kerry sees my lounging around talking to you, it's my ass that's gone." she tells you.

"Yeah, well, _t__hanks __a lot_, Abby for all your help," you say, sarcastically, "If you hadn't have started this whole _'Yin and Yang'_ shit I wouldn't have been in this situation and wouldn't have to deal with the ---"

"Truth?" Abby says, pointedly.

You glare at her, "I was going to say _the stress_ but whatever."

Abby grins, widely at you.

"Well, I'm glad we've settled this, because incoming Ray Barnett at 12' o 'clock." she says, nonchalantly grabbing herself a chart. Purposely walking past him. "Hey, Ray." she says, brightly. He gives her a surprised look, "Hey, Abby." he says, before walking up to you.

"Somebody's in an exceptionally good mood today." he states, with a grin. "Ready to go?"

"Umm...yeah..." you say, slowly, following him out, throwing one last glance back at Abby who mouths; "Good luck." And holds her hand up to her ear and gestures; _'Call me'. _

You glare at her, '_Pfft, luck, __You certainly were going to need it__,'_ you think, as Ray calls,

"Neela? You coming?"

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Reviews make my world go round! 


	3. Yin & Yang: Pt 3

**Disclaimer:** Nope. I've checked. I still don't own it.

**A/N:** Okay, I've got good and bad news. The good news, I'm delivering a new chapter to you. The bad news? ...There's still one more part to go. Yep. That's right. I'm deciding to prolong my cruelty towards you and make this a four parter. Haha! Thanks again for the reviews, I really appreciate them. : ) And there's a little flashback line thrown in there somewhere, probably won't be that hard to find it though! ; )

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**Yin and Yang**

_Pt 3: __We Need To Talk_

---**X**---

"So, you up for pizza or Chinese tonight?" Ray asks, as the El pulls up at our stop.

"Huh?" I say, absentmindedly, snapping out of my thoughts. "Oh, umm...I don't really care." I tell him, which is true. Because quite frankly at this moment food and revitalisation were not two of the things on my mind, dropping of the face of the Earth, though, was definitely one. "You pick." I add, quickly, trying to diverse any unwanted attention, I could tell Ray had noticed something was up with me, luckily he'd known better than to press it any further, but, it only was a matter of time before the truth came out.

"Okay then, pizza it is." He replies, gleefully. "You wanna order it in when we get home?" he asks me.

A light bulb goes off in my head.

"No. How about we just eat at the pizzeria for a change?" I say, hoping he wouldn't notice the desperation in my voice.

"Okay." He says, with a shrug.

Thank God.

My brilliant plan? Even after you've confided in Abby, when in doubt about the actual consequences about what you're going to do; stall.

-**X**-

"Neela? Are you done? I was actually planning on getting out of here before I turn _80_." Ray groans, dropping his head in his hand.

I glared at him. "Exaggerate much?" I scoff.

He raises his head to glare right back at me. "Well, I'm sorry, but you've been picking at that one piece for the past two hours." He stops to increase the intensity of his glare, before he adds, with pauses between each word to add more effect; "No. Exaggeration. There."

"Well." I state, annoyed, "at least...at least..." _think, Neela, think,_ I urge myself; hurriedly I retort, "At least I take time to _actually taste__ and savour_ my food, whereas _you_ stuff the whole thing into your mouth in two seconds flat."

A smirk comes onto his face. "Taste? _Taste?!_ You think what you're doing is any better? Right now what you're _'savouring'_ is a cold piece of dried up crust and tomato sauce," I wince at his description, his smugness continues as he notices what he's said has actually taken effect, "Really appetizing, isn't it?" he says, "Kind of adds a different kind of aroma to it, huh?" he evokes.

I glare at him before wordlessly picking up the last remains of my _'cold piece of dried up crust and tomato sauce'_ and aiming it in his direction.

His eyes widen, "You wouldn't dare." He states.

I cock an eyebrow at him, "I wouldn't?"

"Neela, c'mon this is a new shirt, a new _white_ shirt, _Bret's_ new white shirt I also might add, if any of that tomato sauce gets on it, I'm gone." He says, weakly.

I smirk. "Well, I guess you should of thought of that before you messed with me then, huh?" and in less than a second the crust went flying over the table, managing to make a very distinctive red mark on his - until then, pristinely clean white shirt-, before landing on the floor.

Ray face was a mask of shock and annoyance before a smile breaks out, "oh, no you just di'nt." He says, playfully picking up his Coke.

"Don't you dare..." I begin, slowly. He smile, evilly, "I think I do." He says beginning to aim the glass at me before a loud 'Excuse Me' interrupts us. We both look up and see the owner of the place glaring at us.

I cringe, only then realizing that we're the last two left in there, "Whoops, so sorry..." I say, beginning to get up just as Ray starts doing the same.

"We'll, uh, just be leaving," he tells the man, quickly thrusting a few bills on the table, "Keep the change." He adds, trying hard to hide his grin.

Within seconds we've rushed out of there. "I don't think we should be eating there anytime soon," Ray jokes.

I glower at him, "God, Ray that was so embarrassing!" I exclaim.

"Hey, you started it," he retaliates. A few seconds later he adds, "Besides you got to admit it was kinda of funny, did you see his eyes? They looked like they were going to bulge out of their sockets." He says, humorously.

"Yeah, well, if you had thrown that Coke at me they probably would have." I tell him, sarcastically.

"True." He states, "still, I think it would've of been worth it, I mean," he says, pulling at his shirt and pointing at the evident stain on it, "look at this mark. Bret's going to kill me, bury me, dig me up and then_ kill me again_." He groans.

"Well then, he'd be doing us all a favour." I snort.

"Aw, don't say that, roomie. I know you've been secretly pining away for me." He smirks.

_If only_ he knew, I tell myself for the second time that night, I can feel the hotness increasing rapidly on my face so I quickly scoff; "Damn! How did you know? And here I was thinking I was hiding it fantastically."

Ray playfully nudges me with his shoulder. "Aw, c'mon, you know that's not true, after all I am just _so_ irresistible." He says, breaking into Jessica Simpson's song, singing in a high pitched, girly voice; "_Up __close and personal__ now inescapable __I can__ hardly breathe, more than just __physical deeper__ ---" _before I pinch him in the arm. Hard. _Very _Hard.

_"OW!"_ he yelps. "Sexual harassment!"

I roll my eyes. "Oh, please. Don't tell me that you didn't deserve that."

"I didn't." He squeaks, rubbing his sore arm. "Man." He says, pulling up his sleeve to assess the damage. "This is _definitely_ going to bruise."

"Oh please!" I scoff, again.

"When did you become such a badass?" he asks, grinning, continuing to rub at his arm.

"Since I met you, of course." I tell him, with a smirk. He grins at me.

"Well, I'm glad to see some of my charm has rubbed off on you." I roll my eyes.

"Don't look so cocky, Barnett, it was for self defence and please stop rubbing your arm, I am _not_ going to feel sorry for you."

"Wow." Ray states, cheekily, "you just managed you insult, hurt and wound me all in the same sentence."

I jeered. "Oh. Great. This is really going down for me as one of those notable achievements I can look back on when I'm older." I continue to walk on ahead of him. Trying to hide my smile. Though I was coming off all snarky and bitchy on the exterior, this was what I loved about Ray. Strange, I know. But it was exactly like this we could start of on something so minor and turn it into a war zone of banter and sarcastic remarks. Something I'd never had with Michael, something I was _never_ going to have with Michael. And just liked that I stopped. Just like that I was convinced what I was about to do was going to be right.

I turn around, abruptly, so abruptly that Ray almost walks into me. He guards me with a confused expression. "What's up?"

I exhale, deeply. Pointedly, looking him in the eye.

"We need to talk."

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Reviews? _- puppy eyes - _


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